A Conservative MP has been discovered responsible of racially abusing an activist by telling him to “go back to Bahrain”.
Bob Stewart confirmed “racial hostility” in the direction of a protester throughout an illustration outdoors a Foreign Office constructing, a courtroom heard.
The MP for Beckenham in southeast London instructed activist Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei “you’re taking money off my country, go away!” throughout a row in Westminster on December 14 final yr.
Mr Alwadaei shouted: “Bob Stewart, for how much did you sell yourself to the Bahraini regime?”
During a heated change, Stewart replied: “Go away, I hate you. You make a lot of fuss. Go back to Bahrain.”
In footage performed throughout a trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday, he additionally mentioned: “Now shut up, you stupid man.”
Chief Justice of the Peace Paul Goldspring discovered the MP responsible of a racially aggravated public order offence.
He mentioned Stewart is not going to be jailed.
The Liberal Democrats have referred to as for Rishi Sunak to kick Stewart out of the parliamentary Conservative Party.
The Metropolitan Police launched an investigation into the incident after a criticism was made by Mr Alwadaei, who has mentioned he was dwelling in exile after being tortured within the Gulf state.
During the one-day trial, Mr Alwadaei alleged that Bahrain was “corrupt” and a “human rights violator”, and mentioned it was his proper to protest towards the MP’s involvement with the state.
Asked how he felt after the incident, the activist mentioned: “I feel that I was dehumanised, like I was someone who is not welcomed in the UK.
“Because of my pores and skin color, due to the place I got here from, he feels I’m taking cash from his nation.”
‘Racial hostility’
Mr Alwadaei also claimed that if he returned to Bahrain, he would “undoubtedly be killed and tortured”.
Prosecutor Paul Jarvis said Stewart had “demonstrated racial hostility in the direction of Mr Alwadaei by means of his feedback”, and while he was “not motivated by racial hostility”, he had demonstrated it.
In response to the accusation, the MP said it was “absurd” and “completely unfair”, stating he was “not a racist”.
He added: “My life has been, I do not need to say destroyed, however I’m deeply damage at having to seem in a courtroom like this.”
The 74-year-old politician told the court he had “no concept” who Mr Alwadaei was when the incident occurred and that he used the word “hate” because of what the protester was saying.
Stewart added: “‘Go again to Bahrain’ meant why do not you return to Bahrain and make your level there?”
‘Honour at stake’
Asked if he accused Mr Alwadaei of taking money from the UK, the MP said: “I made the belief he too was dwelling on this nation and was benefiting from dwelling on this nation.
“I certainly didn’t mean he was a freeloader.”
But he defended his response to the protester, telling the courtroom: “He was saying that I was corrupt and that I had taken money. My honour was at stake in front of a large number of ambassadors.
“It upset me and I believed it was extraordinarily offensive.”
Source: information.sky.com”